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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207835">The Promotion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OptimisticBeth/pseuds/OptimisticBeth'>OptimisticBeth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Office, Ben Doesn't Have A Girlfriend, But Everyone Thinks He Does, Comedy of Errors, F/M, Misunderstandings, Nobody Cheats On Anyone, Office Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:36:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,047</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207835</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OptimisticBeth/pseuds/OptimisticBeth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fashion, romance, and office politics collide when Rey is promoted to management and the intimidatingly put-together temps start to tease her about Ben Solo, who she definitely doesn’t have a crush on, no matter how much help he is while she’s adjusting to her new role.</p><p>After all, it’s stupid to have a crush on a guy with a girlfriend.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>119</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>281</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, Rey!” Poe greeted when Rey stepped into the meeting room.</p><p>Rey forced herself to stand tall so no one would figure out how bad her nerves were.</p><p>“Sit by us!” said Rose.</p><p>She pasted a bright smile on her face and joined Poe and Rose on the far side of the table, passing Thomas Thanisson who sat in the back by the wall with a notepad just like Rey’s. She felt self-conscious suddenly. Was she not supposed to take her own notes? Thomas was the office executive assistant, different from the receptionist who dealt with the public. Thomas handled business for the managers.</p><p>Which, as of today, officially included Rey.</p><p>She leaned close to Rose to whisper and wiggle her notepad, “Should I have brought this?”</p><p>Rose shrugged one shoulder. “Sure.”</p><p>Rey nodded and adjusted in her seat. Her feet bumped up against someone else’s and Ben Solo glanced up from his phone, his face impassive. “Sorry,” she murmured with an apologetic smile and withdrew her feet to tuck them safely under her chair.</p><p>He went back to his phone without a word of acknowledgement, which for Ben Solo meant it wasn’t a big deal. Rey may have worked under Holdo in Quality Assurance, but occasionally she’d given his department a hand, doing menial tasks when Shipping and Inventory had a tight deadline and QA wasn’t too busy.</p><p>So she was used to Ben’s moods.</p><p>“Glad to have ya here,” Poe told her, bumping his shoulder affectionately against hers. Rey relaxed more at the familiarity and smiled at him. They’d all celebrated her promotion last Saturday, Finn complaining loudly (and a little drunkenly) that all his friends were now management while he was still an underling.</p><p>Rose had patted his hand. “That’s just because all of our bosses were so old. Brance is, what, forty? Forty-five?”</p><p>Finn had dropped his forehead to the table with a thud. “Ugh.”</p><p>As Brance himself entered the meeting room and passed behind them to sit on Rose’s other side, Rey caught Hux giving her a once-over.</p><p>It was not a nice look.</p><p>“Did you <em> have </em>to shop at the homeless shelter?” he sneered.</p><p>Rey blinked at him, then down at her clothes. She’d worn her nicest sweater over a new pair of dark jeans. True, her sneakers probably weren’t in the best shape, but who was going to look at her feet?</p><p>Rose glared at Hux. “Don’t be a dick. She looks fine.”</p><p>Poe slung a protective arm around Rey's shoulders, though she didn’t need it, and she saw Ben glance up, expression neutral.</p><p>Probably judging her clothes for himself.</p><p>“She looks great,” Poe told Hux. “And watch yourself. That’s my bestie you’re insulting.”</p><p>Rey smiled wryly. Poe was ridiculous. “I thought Finn was your bestie.”</p><p>Poe considered that with a level of solemnity the matter didn’t require. “My second bestie, then.”</p><p>Rose leaned forward to look at him. “I thought I was your second bestie.”</p><p>Poe’s mouth opened, then closed. After a moment, he said, “You’re tied.”</p><p>Rey crossed her arms, amused. “I’m fine with third.”</p><p>Poe squeezed her against him. “Never! You’re tied.” He brought his other arm around so he could awkwardly pet the far side of her face.</p><p>Rey burst out laughing and pushed him away. “Oh my God, you’re so weird.”</p><p>“Hear, hear,” muttered Ben, eyes back on his phone.</p><p>“Can you <em> please </em>control yourselves?” said Hux, his mouth twisted with disgust. “This is a business, not a brothel.”</p><p>“Way to make things weirder,” said Rose, her nose wrinkled.</p><p>Rey shot Hux an uneasy frown. She and Poe weren’t a thing, had never been a thing. They were just friends, and Poe was just… Poe. Sure, the way he invaded her space used to make her uncomfortable, but he always backed off when asked, and he entered the personal bubbles of Finn and Rose just as easily. She knew him well enough now that it just made her roll her eyes and laugh.</p><p>But Hux’s comment… it embarrassed her. Made it less innocent.</p><p>Rey covertly glanced at the others in the room, trying to gauge their reactions. Phasma looked like she was judging the shit of out of them, Thomas was staring silently at his notepad, maybe wishing he didn’t have to be there, Brance’s mouth was pressed into a disapproving line though he wasn’t looking at them, and Ben… he was back to messing around on his phone. His neck and mouth looked a little tight, though.</p><p>He put his phone away when a short woman entered the room with a folder and a gracious smile, dissipating most of the hostility in the room.</p><p>“Morning, kids,” said Leia Organa.</p><p>Brance cleared his throat pointedly.</p><p>“And Taslin,” she added with a laugh. She moved to the head of the table and set her folder down on it, opening it to scan the contents. “First,” she said, raising her head to look at them, “welcome to our newest addition, Rey Niima. Hopefully you’ll be able to stay awake in these meetings better than these bozos, and yes I’m looking at you, Poe.”</p><p>Poe grinned and spread his hands, charming a smile out of Leia. “It was <em> one time</em>.”</p><p>“As you all know, Rey is taking over Amilyn’s position in Quality Assessment.” Her smile was aimed directly at Rey, and Rey ducked her head and smiled back. “Everyone please make sure that Rey feels welcome and included.”</p><p>Poe snorted softly and looked straight at Hux, who ignored him. Rose was outright glaring, and Hux ignored her, too.</p><p>“Amilyn is settling into her new position, but I’m sure you’ll see her occasionally in marketing and customer service, since she oversees both departments now.” She glanced from Poe to Brance. “You might see a few policy changes, but I’ll let Amilyn brief you on those at your interdepartmental meeting.</p><p>“Armitage, how are our tax returns looking?”</p><p>Hux launched into a way-too-long answer, his chin raised and spine straight. How Leia endured it was beyond Rey, but she seemed to absorb every word and thanked him when he finished.</p><p>She turned to Ben. “Ben? How’s inventory and shipping?”</p><p>He rolled his eyes. “I want to murder Mitaka every other day.”</p><p>“Are you kidding me?” Rey blurted. “Mitaka is the sweetest!”</p><p>Ben raised a brow at her, and she blushed, realizing that she’d spoken out of turn. But instead of chastise her, he said, “He runs around like a frightened mouse. I’ve seen him make so many avoidable mistakes—”</p><p>Rey rolled her eyes. “Of <em> course </em>he makes mistakes when you’re there watching him. He’s terrified of you.”</p><p>Ben’s eyes narrowed, a frown drawing his mouth down. “How would you know that?”</p><p>“I’ve worked with him. He’s logical, capable, and good at his job. He’s just so scared of <em> you </em>that he makes stupid mistakes when you’re there.”</p><p>His eyes narrowed further, but he seemed more thoughtful than irritated. “He should be able to work efficiently even with his boss around.”</p><p>She shrugged. “I’m just telling you how it is.”</p><p>His eyes narrowed further. “I’m not going to overlook sloppy work, whatever the reason.”</p><p>“I’m not asking you to,” she said soothingly. “I’m just telling you what the problem is.”</p><p>Anger touched his eyes, then. “<em>I’m </em> not the problem.”</p><p>“No,” she agreed, still using her soothing voice, “but Mitaka works best with minimal oversight. If you give him more autonomy, the quality of his work is going to dramatically improve, I guarantee it.”</p><p>He seemed halfway persuaded, so she pushed just a little farther.</p><p>“Just give him a chance. If my way doesn’t work, I will happily admit that you were right and I was wrong.” She shrugged one shoulder, offering a wry smile. “What have you got to lose?”</p><p>His jaw worked as he thought, and then he nodded once, decisively. “I guess he can’t get any <em> worse</em>.”</p><p>Rey smiled, tempted to laugh. “That’s the spirit.”</p><p>He turned back to Leia to continue his report, and Rey saw Leia looking between them with an assessing sort of smile.</p><p>Rey felt her face warm. She’d just completely derailed the meeting, so why was Leia happy? Had Rey accidentally done something right?</p><p>Well, then. Yay.</p><p>When the meeting wrapped up, she found herself at the door at the same time as Ben. He gestured for her to go ahead.</p><p>“Oh, no, you can go,” she said awkwardly.</p><p>He didn't budge. “My mother would kill me if I went first.”</p><p>Rey crossed her arms and smiled up at him. “Pretty sure she won’t find out.”</p><p>His eyes flicked over the people waiting for them to move, and an odd smile quirked his lips when he looked back at Rey. “She’d find out.” He lowered his head and murmured, “My mother knows <em> everything</em>.”</p><p>Rey’s cheeks felt warm again, and she realized they were holding up the others, so she nodded at Ben and preceded him out.</p><p>His long legs brought him back beside her in the hallway. “I’m still not sure that anything will change with Mitaka.”</p><p>She looked up at him. “Do you trust me?” She’d filled in for his people often enough that he knew her. They’d even had a conversation or two when she’d helped on the all-nighters.</p><p>She couldn’t define his expression, but he finally nodded. “Yes.”</p><p>“Then trust that I’ve seen Mitaka when he’s around you and when he’s not. Completely different person. And he’s <em> reliable</em>. He doesn’t actually need much oversight. He’ll get the job done and get it done better if he’s not about to pee his pants.”</p><p>“What if the others need oversight?”</p><p>She pursed her lips. “I’m not sure.” She tried to think of something but shrugged. “Try different things and see what works?”</p><p>He nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Okay.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Part of my <a href="https://optimisticsprinkles.tumblr.com/post/632982294027714560/feel-better-weeks">Feel Better Week(s)</a> initiative. This story isn't finished yet, but I have a few chapters to throw at ya.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Three days later Poe showed up for lunch in the breakroom with a storm cloud over his head.</p><p>“She's changing <em> everything</em>,” he snapped.</p><p>Rey’s brows rose, and she saw Finn's go up as well.</p><p>Rose seemed less affected. “Leia <em> did </em> warn you there would be some changes.”</p><p>“She said there might be <em> a few </em> changes. I thought she meant tweaks to the current system, not an <em> entire overhaul</em>. Do you have any idea how much work this puts on me? On my <em> team</em>?”</p><p>Finn opened his lunch with a mild frown. “That's inconvenient, but you've faced bigger hurdles. You'll be fine.”</p><p>“Holdo won't even <em> listen</em>!” Poe replied, getting more worked up. “I tried to talk to her about it, and she completely shut me down.” With a venomous frustration Rey had never seen from him before, he spat, “She's such an overbearing—”</p><p>“If you finish that sentence,” came Ben's low rumble, “I'm going to have to put my fist through your face.”</p><p>Rey turned with the others to look at Ben, whose dark eyes were fixed on Poe, his jaw tight.</p><p>“So sorry,” snapped Poe when he got over his shock. “Didn't know you were into <em> older </em> women.”</p><p>Ben's eyes narrowed a little more. “Thank you, <em> Hux</em>.”</p><p>Poe grimaced. “<em>That's </em> uncalled for.”</p><p>Ben stood and started gathering his things. “You're in the wrong, and you know it.” With that, he left the room.</p><p>Poe shook his head when Ben was gone. “That guy…”</p><p>“Is right,” Rey said softly.</p><p>Poe looked at her like she'd betrayed him, but she held up a hand.</p><p>“Holdo was my boss before she was yours. She is really tough and will give you hell if you slack off or question her authority.” She gave Poe a pointed look. “But otherwise she's really nice.” She saw his face screw up and knew he wasn't hearing her, so she sighed and changed tack. “Just… give her some time. Maybe she'll grow on you.”</p><p>“Fat chance,” Poe muttered, but it didn't have much conviction behind it.</p><p>Rey supposed that was the best she’d get for the moment.</p><hr/><p>“Rey, hold up.”</p><p>It was about an hour after Rey was supposed to be leaving, and she’d thought the office was empty. She’d had to stay and take care of a few things, playing catch-up as she learned the ropes, and had lost track of time. Thus, she was startled into stopping when Ben called out.</p><p>When he reached her, he nodded and they continued together toward the elevator.</p><p>“Trying to make a good impression on your first day?” he asked.</p><p>Rey laughed. “Not really. I just need to figure all this stuff out, and there were some urgent matters in Hol—um, <em> my </em>inbox.”</p><p>“Ah.” After a few steps, he cleared his throat. “I heard what you said to Poe earlier.” His expression was solemn when he looked at her. “I wanted to thank you for backing me up.”</p><p>“Technically, I was backing up Ms. Holdo.” She softened the words with a wry smile. “But you were right. Poe shouldn’t have started to insult her like that.”</p><p>He nodded. They reached the elevator, and he hit the down button. “Holdo is friends with my parents.” He chewed on his lip for a moment. “She’s nice.” Then a smile quirked his mouth, and he tossed Rey a wry look. “She would report back to them on how I was doing here. If I messed up, they heard about it.”</p><p>Rey smiled wistfully. “It must be nice to have a family that loves you that much.”</p><p>He examined her thoughtfully. At length, he nodded. “I know I’m fortunate to have them, even if they annoy me half the time.” He chewed on his lip. “We didn’t always get along, though. My parents were gone a lot when I was a kid.”</p><p>The elevator arrived, and they stepped inside.</p><p>“Do you have any siblings?” Rey asked, imagining him with a couple of brothers and sisters to run around with.</p><p>He leaned against the elevator wall and adjusted his messenger bag. “Only child,” he said. “But I wasn’t an easy kid. ‘Negative attention is still attention.’” He sounded like he was quoting someone, and his eyes skirted away.</p><p>“Sounds lonely,” she said softly.</p><p>He nodded once, still not looking at her, and his jaw flexed. “Yeah.”</p><p>“I know what that’s like,” she murmured, and his eyes fixed back on her face. “My parents abandoned me when I was six.” The pity she’d come to expect flashed through his eyes, and she shrugged like it was no big deal. “It’s better that way, I’m sure. I just… always told myself they’d come back.”</p><p>The elevator stopped and the doors slid open, and the two of them stepped out. Ben looked at her like he wanted to ask more questions, but Rey didn’t want to burden him with her sob story. So she fixed a smile on her face.</p><p>“Goodnight, Ben.”</p><p>Something flickered in his eyes, but he merely nodded. “Goodnight, Rey.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey busted her ass the rest of the week, and on Friday she found herself in a complicated position.</p><p>One of her employees was being difficult.</p><p>She thought about going to Poe or Rose, but they got along swimmingly with their people. And Ben… he’d been quite helpful during her transition. Plus, his office was closest to hers, and he didn’t seem to mind her nagging him with her questions.</p><p>He didn’t always know the answer, of course, but he didn’t seem put out when she poked her head in.</p><p>She probably could have emailed him instead, but going in person was faster.</p><p>And this discussion definitely needed to be in person.</p><p>When she knocked on the open door, he was sitting at his desk with his hand in his hair. His posture eased when he looked up and saw it was her.</p><p>“Come in.” He gestured at the chair in front of his desk, and Rey took it.</p><p>“I hope it’s not a bad time,” she said, glancing at his desk and fidgeting her hands in her lap. “I just… I have a problem, and I need some advice.”</p><p>He sat back with a sigh, lacing his fingers. “I would much rather deal with your problems right now than my own.”</p><p>She frowned and sat straighter. “What’s going on?”</p><p>He sat up and gestured at the papers on his desk. “Yesterday’s shipment went out late. I should have been on the floor, but I was trying not to crowd Mitaka.”</p><p>Rey felt her nerves leap. “Was it his fault?”</p><p>“Oddly enough, no,” Ben said, giving her an inscrutable look. “He’s been doing well. I’m going to give it another week, but you might be onto something.” He gestured wearily at his desk. “It’s one of these other bozos. And since I wasn’t down there, I don’t know who, and no one is talking. They clearly need oversight, but if I do that Mitaka will be a mess.” His hand slid back into his hair, which was already mussed. “Whatever I do, someone’s going to screw something up.”</p><p>Rey bit her lip and thought. “What if I stay late tonight and help you brainstorm solutions?”</p><p>He looked up, surprised.</p><p>Rey shrugged. “You’ve helped me. And it was my idea to stay off the floor. It’s the least I can do.”</p><p>He looked back at the papers on his desk and let out a breath. “That would actually be helpful. And appreciated.”</p><p>Rey smiled.</p><p>“Now, what brings you here?”</p><p>Rey’s smile fell. “It’s Dox. He’s not adapting to me as his supervisor, and he’s…”</p><p>Ben’s brow rose knowingly. “Bitter?”</p><p>She grimaced. “Yeah.” She shifted in her chair. “We got along fine before, but now he has this… this <em> attitude</em>, and I’ve tried everything I can think of to make things easier on him. I’ve been bending over backwards.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “And, I mean, I get it. He’s been here for forever, and he expected to get this job, and it was a slap in the face when I got it. And I feel guilty about that, but it wasn’t my choice, and I wish we could just be friends again.”</p><p>Ben listened patiently, and when she finished he smiled sympathetically. “Rey… you’re never going to be friends with that man again.”</p><p>She recoiled, and Ben’s eyes softened.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he said gently, leaning forward. “But it’s obvious he holds too much resentment to ever forgive you for this.” He held up a hand when she started to protest. “It wasn’t your fault, but he’s blaming you. And you can’t control that any more than you could control being picked over him. It’s <em> his </em>fault if he can’t deal with it.”</p><p>“But how do I… how do I fix things?”</p><p>“Stop treating him like a friend and start treating him like an employee. He’s already decided you’re not friends anymore, and you need to accept it. You’re ‘bending over backwards’ — probably letting him get away with shit — because you think your friendship is salvageable. It’s not. It’s dead.</p><p>“Lay down the law. <em> Be </em> his boss. The longer you let him get away with his bitter, resentful bullshit, the worse it’s going to get. You can’t make him be your friend, but you <em> can </em>make him act like a professional instead of a whiny child.”</p><p>Rey looked at her hands. She respected Resdox. He had been at the company for ages. Sure, he’d always complained a little too much when procedures changed, and he couldn't adapt as quickly as the rest of the team, but he was hardworking and trustworthy. “I don’t know if I can.”</p><p>“Then you shouldn’t be a manager.”</p><p>He said it gently, his eyes kind, but it struck Rey through the heart like a well-aimed harpoon, and she began to cry.</p><p>Ben started to stand, but he hesitated and eased back into his chair. “For what it’s worth,” he murmured, “I know you can do it. Just think of it as standing up for yourself. He’s treating you like shit, and you don’t deserve that.” He watched her for a moment. “You have the power here. You just have to be willing to wield it.”</p><p>Rey nodded, her eyes still wet, and wiped her palms across her cheeks. “Yeah.” She stood and nodded at him, rising to leave, but turned back at the door. She kept her eyes on the carpet. “I’ll see you this evening. And… thank you. For the advice.”</p><p>“I’m sorry it wasn’t what you wanted.”</p><p>She lifted her eyes to his, then. He sat with his hands clasped on his desk. He really did look sorry.</p><p>“No,” she agreed. “But it’s probably what I needed.”</p>
<hr/><p>James Resdox, known to everyone as Dox, was a large man. He wasn’t as tall as Ben, but he was wide and soft around the middle and taller than Rey by several inches.</p><p>Once she was sure all traces of tears had left her face, she called Dox into her office. He entered and sat, his chin up as if ready for a fight.</p><p>She could see it in his eyes, now. The anger. She’d seen it ever since her promotion had been announced but hadn’t been willing to accept that the easy-going camaraderie between them was over. She’d hoped they could recapture it. She’d been willing to bend herself into a pretzel for him.</p><p>But Ben was right. There was nothing left between herself and Dox.</p><p>So be it.</p><p>“Your behavior lately has been unacceptable,” she began, keeping her voice level. “From now on, you’ll be written up. Every. Single. Time.” She met his glare and refused to flinch. “I am your boss. You will treat me accordingly, or there will be consequences.”</p><p>His jaw clenched, and his eyes went cold with fury, but at length he nodded.</p><p>She nodded back and dismissed him.</p><p>Then she closed her office door, locked it, and cried.</p>
<hr/><p>“I did it,” Rey said as she settled into the chair in front of Ben’s desk that evening after work. “I talked to Dox.”</p><p>His eyes searched hers. “How did it go?”</p><p>She took a shaky breath. “I warned him he’d be written up if he didn’t behave. It seemed to work.”</p><p>Ben tilted his head to one side. “With the threat of HR looming over him, I’m sure it did.”</p><p>“Kalonia tends to go easy on people.”</p><p>He smiled. “Phas would never pass him on to someone like Kalonia. Not if he disrespected his <em> female </em>boss. She’d either take him herself or hand him over to Karé.”</p><p>Rey shuddered. “Christ.” Karé was heavily pregnant, and <em> nobody </em>wanted to get on her bad side just then.</p><p>“They’d flay him alive.” He didn’t seem displeased by the idea. Then he examined her. “How are <em> you </em>holding up?”</p><p>She gave him a wan smile. “I’ll be right as rain in a few days.”</p><p>“But not now?”</p><p>She shrugged.</p><p>He flexed his jaw. “If you don’t feel like helping with this tonight…”</p><p>“No,” she said, coming back to herself. “No, it’s fine.”</p><p>They got to work, making a list of ideas which ranged from security cameras to breathing down his employees’ necks to making everyone log exactly what they’ve done on their shift. Ben scoffed at the suggestion that he could try to get to know Mitaka so that the other man would be less afraid of him, but Rey made him write it down.</p><p>They discussed how their ideas might be implemented, argued about cost and time lost working, and the next time Rey looked up it was dark outside.</p><p>“Oh,” she said, blinking. “It’s late.”</p><p>Ben looked at the window and the clock on the wall and grunted. “Huh.”</p><p>Rey started gathering her things. “I should get home. It was my turn to cook tonight, but Rose was kind enough to switch with me.”</p><p>“You live with Rose Tico?” he asked, straightening the papers on his desk and grabbing his keys and wallet out of a drawer.</p><p>“Mm-hm. Over on Market Street.”</p><p>Ben frowned at her, standing and following her out of his office. “That’s not a great area,” he said as he locked up.</p><p>Rey smirked at him. “We’re big girls. We can handle ourselves.”</p><p>He seemed dubious, and Rey laughed.</p><p>“I’ve lived in worse areas, trust me. I know how to stay safe. And so does Rose.”</p><p>“All the preparation in the world—”</p><p>Rey reached in her purse and pulled out her mace to show him.</p><p>He shut up.</p><p>“I’m not helpless,” she told him patiently as she tucked her mace back into its easily accessible spot and started down the hallway. “And Rose has a taser. Takes it everywhere. She named it Zippy.”</p><p>He was still frowning, casting her unsure glances.</p><p>“And I know how to fight. I’m scrappy as hell.” She offered him a reassuring smile. “And Rose never hesitates to use her taser. If something seems fishy, she’ll yank it out.” Rey grinned. “Friendly as a puppy, vicious as a wolf. That’s my girl.”</p><p>He tossed her a curious look. “So the two of you are…?”</p><p>Rey looked up at him, amused. “Friends.”</p><p>“Ah,” he replied, visibly turning the information over in his head. Then he glanced back down at her. “It was probably inappropriate to ask, wasn’t it?”</p><p>“Mm,” Rey replied, pretending to consider. “I really should report you to Phasma.”</p><p>He narrowed his eyes at her, and Rey laughed.</p><p>She waved a hand. “If you say or do something out of line, <em> believe me</em>, I’ll let you know.” He nodded solemnly, and Rey smiled up at him. “I don’t need HR to fight my battles unless there’s a problem I can’t handle myself.”</p><p>“Like if Dox doesn’t shape up,” he suggested.</p><p>Rey’s smile dimmed. “Yeah. Like that.”</p><p>Ben examined her as she pushed the button for the elevator. “I’m sorry it’s been rough. You’ll get through it.”</p><p>Rey turned and looked up at him, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “At least I have good friends to help.”</p><p>Ben’s expression turned neutral, and he looked at the elevator. “Yeah. Yeah, you have your friends.”</p><p>Rey bumped him with her elbow, laughing. “I meant <em> you</em>, doofus.”</p><p>He stared at her. “Oh.”</p><p>“I mean,” she said, feeling self-conscious, “I <em> assumed </em> we were friends. And you’ve helped me out with the transition the most.” That made it sound like her friends hadn’t helped at all, so she quickly added, “They’re great at emotional support, but you…” His eyes sharpened on her, as if her next words <em> mattered</em>, and she felt her mouth go dry. “You, um, seem to have a better handle on the management side of things.”</p><p>She watched him absorb that with a thoughtful look in his eye, and the elevator chose that moment to save her.</p><p>They were inside and on their way down before Ben shifted his weight and said, “I am.” Rey raised a brow at him, and he clarified. “Your friend. I am.”</p><p>Rey broke into a grin. “Good.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here is <a href="https://optimisticsprinkles.tumblr.com/post/633044745619456000/the-promotion-by-optimisticbeth-a-reylo-office">the post</a> I prepared to go with this story as well as <a href="https://optimisticsprinkles.tumblr.com/post/633227332884332544/feel-better-weeks">a timeline</a> of chapter updates for this week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Oh my God, you must be <em> so </em> excited. How long is it now?” Rey forced her hands to herself, desperate to put them all over Karé Kun Wexley's round belly.</p><p>“Just a few days until I start my leave. Snap is getting paternity leave, too, so we're busy training our temps.” Karé absently rubbed her stomach and glanced toward the break room. “God, I miss coffee.”</p><p>Right, Rey had forgotten. Karé wasn't allowed caffeine. “I could make you a cup of tea.”</p><p>Karé looked Rey over and smirked. “Well, you are British. If anyone should know how… Okay, yeah, go for it. I'll give anything a shot at this point.” She turned away, holding her lower back as if it ached. “Drop it by my office. This is the third time <em> this hour </em> the little monster has tap-danced on my bladder.” Karé was waddling away when she looked back over her shoulder and called, “Thank you!”</p><p>The break room was empty except for two women Rey didn't recognize. They were by the vending machines, too far from the tea and coffee for Rey to easily introduce herself.</p><p>She assumed that they were there temps Karé had mentioned and resolved to say hi while the tea was steeping.</p><p>“He’s so ugly.”</p><p>It was a murmur, the voice amused, and Rey's hands paused as she reached for the box of chai that she hoped would tempt Karé. She tuned into the conversation even as she fumbled the box down and cast a quick look behind herself. They both had long dark hair, but one was several inches taller. Both wore heels so tall, they looked excruciating.</p><p>Their backs were to her.</p><p>“His nose.”</p><p>A laugh. “It’s obscene, that nose. And did you notice? His chin is very slightly asymmetrical.”</p><p><em> These bitches</em>, Rey thought, realizing they were talking about <em> Ben</em>.</p><p>Yes, okay, he had an awkward face, but it wasn’t like he was grotesque. And he definitely didn’t deserve the casual vitriol these two were dripping.</p><p>“He should be forced to wear a bag over his head.”</p><p>“<em>Shut up</em>,” Rey snapped before she could stop herself.</p><p>The taller woman looked Rey up and down as if offended that someone who dressed in jeans and sneakers would speak to someone as superior as herself, but her shorter friend just laughed. “<em>Someone </em> has a crush.”</p><p>Rey scoffed, blushing in spite of herself.</p><p>They were the kind of women who <em> looked </em> like they'd be friends. Both were perfectly coiffed, nails clean and painted, their makeup flawless.</p><p>The tall woman had heavy brows, olive skin, and long, silky dark hair. She wore a sleek, form-fitting dress in navy with white details, and her makeup was just a bit too dramatic for the office, her lipstick boldly dark.</p><p>The shorter woman wore wore a white pencil skirt with a red blouse. The color complemented her caramel skin and exotic features (a word Rey wouldn’t apply to her down-to-earth best friend, Rose, even though Rose was lovely with her adorable curves, bright almond eyes, and brilliant smile).</p><p>Rey turned her back on them, cheeks burning as she hurried to finish Karé’s tea. It would likely be weak.</p><p>Tea in hand, she shot another vicious glare at the two women as she left, pausing at the door to snap, “And he’s <em> not </em>ugly.”</p><p>She strode into the hall before they could do more than roll their eyes…</p><p>And immediately startled when she saw Ben leaning against the wall outside the break room.</p><p>He lifted a brow at her, and Rey’s face flamed. She focused on his chin instead of his eyes; it <em> was </em>a little asymmetrical, though not enough to notice at a glance. She nodded politely and turned to leave, her embarrassment a full-body affair.</p><p>It hounded her the rest of the day, though. Had he heard them accuse her of having a crush?</p>
<hr/><p>They didn’t talk about what happened with the temps. Ben acted like he hadn’t heard anything, and Rey hoped that he actually <em> hadn’t </em>heard anything, and life continued as normal.</p><p>But she vented to her friends the next time they went out for drinks.</p><p>“Ben Solo may or may not think I have a crush on him now.”</p><p>Poe’s brows snapped into his hairline. “How did <em> that </em>happen?”</p><p>“Do you?” asked Rose curiously, bringing her straw to her lips.</p><p>Rey would have choked if she’d been drinking. “What? Of course not! I… no. We’re friends.”</p><p>“You <em> have </em> both been staying late a lot,” Poe pointed out, smirking.</p><p>Rey glared at him. “Working.”</p><p>“Working <em> it</em>,” Poe replied, then laughed at her scandalized expression. “Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m just teasing.”</p><p>“He’s been really helpful,” Rey replied, blowing out a harsh breath and ignoring Poe’s sly, “I’m sure.”</p><p>“The temps were making fun of him. His nose, his looks.” Rey gave a small shrug as her friends listened. “Stuff he can’t change. And I said something, because—”</p><p>“Because you stand up to bitches,” Rose offered, lifting her glass slightly.</p><p>Rey nodded. “Because I stand up to bitches. And they… suggested I had a crush on him. And he might have been listening in the hallway—”</p><p>“Sneaky bastard!” Poe exclaimed, looking torn between disapproval and admiration. Either way, he was enjoying the hell out of himself.</p><p>“But I don’t know how much he heard.”</p><p>“Has he said anything?” asked Finn.</p><p>Rey shook her head. “We’re both pretending it didn’t happen.” She threw her hands up. “And maybe it didn’t! He might not have heard anything!”</p><p>“You could ask him,” Finn suggested.</p><p>Rey shrank in on herself. That sounded very awkward. “Um. Yeah, I guess.” She clasped both hands around her drink, rubbing her thumb against the condensation. “All I know is, those two are the <em> worst</em>.”</p><p>Rose shook her head, swallowing the sip she’d just taken. “Lies. Hux is the worst.”</p><p>Finn held up a hand, fixing Rey and Rose with a look. “<em>Phasma </em>is the worst.”</p><p>“Ben’s kind of a dick,” Poe offered casually.</p><p>Rey smacked Poe’s arm. “He is not!”</p><p>Poe grinned. “You <em> do </em> have a crush.” Rey spluttered her indignation, and Poe laughed. He set a hand on her shoulder, still smiling. There was something about the look he turned on her, like he knew something she didn’t. “He <em> is </em>kind of a dick. Just not to you.”</p><p>“Because we’re friends,” Rey insisted.</p><p>Poe smiled. “Sure.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I enjoy playing with the fact that some people find Adam Driver unattractive. I imagine it's helpful in his profession to be able to play a wide range of looks based on lighting, makeup, and camera angle. He indeed has bad angles, but he has excellent angles as well. (I get a little more into this idea next chapter.) He might not be an exquisite work of flawless art, but flawless is boring. His looks have way more character.</p><p>Temps:<br/></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Karé and Snap went on leave as scheduled, and Rey did her best to avoid the temps for the first two weeks.</p><p>Olive-skinned Bazine with her dark lipsticks had taken over for Karé in HR, and petite, perfect Carise was working customer support. Finn had to interact with Carise daily, but he didn’t have anything awful to say about the way she did her job. He admitted that she was actually quite good at managing complaints and calming frustrated customers and, when pressed, that she was friendly enough to the other staff.</p><p>“She seems to just have it out for <em> you</em>,” he noted over spaghetti at Rey and Rose’s after Rey had related her most recent run-in where Carise had teased Rey about her “boyfriend.” “Honestly, she doesn’t seem that bad.”</p><p>“She and her stupid friend called Ben <em> ugly</em>.”</p><p>Finn winced. “To be honest, he kind of is.”</p><p>Rey stared at him, and he shrugged apologetically. After defending Ben to those two harpies, she’d been looking at him more, trying to decide what she <em> really </em>thought about his looks.</p><p>He definitely had bad angles. And bad lighting. And bad days. Sometimes he looked awkward, sometimes odd, and sometimes unattractive. The time he’d gotten caught in the rain and had passed Carise and Bazine on his way off the elevator, Rey had heard the two of them laughing all the way from her office. He’d looked half-drowned and completely annoyed.</p><p>Rey had fetched him some paper towels from the bathroom, and he’d offered her a wry smile as he’d grumbled about the rain.</p><p>His prominent ears did him <em> no </em>favors, and he’d looked almost gaunt with his hair flattened against his skull.</p><p>But he had good angles and good lighting and good days, too. His hair was amazing and his eyes were lovely and his mouth…</p><p>But Rey had no business thinking about his mouth.</p>
<hr/><p>“Do you want to grab drinks with us?”</p><p>Ben raised his eyes from the screen in front of him, his hair disheveled from running his hands through it. He blinked a few times, then glanced back at his computer and sighed. “I can’t. We have that big shipment next week, and I have about two more hours of work left to do for Monday.”</p><p>Rey leaned against the doorjamb. She heard the rustling of their coworkers getting ready to leave and ignored it. “Anything I can help with?”</p><p>He flicked a glance at her. “I’m not going to make you triple-check the inventory numbers on a Friday night.” He waved her off. “Go. Have fun. I’ll see you next week.”</p><p>Rey watched him through narrowed eyes and pulled her phone from her purse. She texted Finn that they’d be late and then put her bag down and dragged the spare chair around Ben’s desk.</p><p>“Rey.”</p><p>She picked the handwritten pages of numbers off his desk and settled into the chair. “You’re checking them against the logs?”</p><p>“You don’t have to do this.”</p><p>She just looked at him until he sighed and turned back to his screen, nudging a pen toward her.</p><p>“Cross them off as we go.”</p><p>It took them an hour, working together, and when they finished they gathered their things and headed for the bar.</p><p>“You are either a saint or a masochist, and I can’t decide which,” he told her as they walked out into the fresh evening air. The bar she frequented with her friends after work was close by so that they didn’t have to try to find parking.</p><p>But when she and Ben arrived, they couldn’t find Rey’s friends. She checked her phone and found a text that said Finn had thrown up so Rose and Poe had taken him home.</p><p>Rey groaned, and Ben raised an eyebrow at her. “We’ve been ditched,” she told him as she typed out a reply. When she hit send, she sighed and looked up at him. “Still want that drink?”</p><p>He glanced toward the bar and frowned. “Do they have food here? I’m starving.”</p><p>Rey followed his glance. It was a very small, hole-in-the-wall bar. The only real upside was its location. “Not really. There are some restaurants about three blocks that way, though.” She pointed in the opposite direction of their office.</p><p>He looked down at her. “Up for a walk?”</p><p>Rey grinned and headed for the door. “I could out-walk you any day of the week, buster.”</p><p>“I dunno about that,” he shot back, smiling.</p><p>He had a nice smile. Rey added that to her mental checklist.</p><p>They wound up at a Mexican restaurant in a slightly-run-down building. The decor was garish, but the food was incredible. The restaurant was a bit noisy when they arrived, but it died down after about an hour.</p><p>Somehow, they started talking about Karé and Snap’s new baby. They'd brought little Norra in and had shown her off in her car seat. Rey had very <em> slightly </em>lost her mind, cooing gibberish at the teeny wrinkly peanut while the Wexleys beamed.</p><p>Ben teased her about getting baby fever, and Rey blushed and rolled her eyes.</p><p>“It’s a little premature to get baby fever if I’m not even dating anyone,” she grumbled, face hot as she poked at the remnants of her dinner instead of looking at him.</p><p>He took a sip of his water. “There’s always adoption,” he pointed out.</p><p>Rey looked at him, startled.</p><p>His eyes widened. “What?” he asked.</p><p>Rey didn’t speak for a moment. Finally, she shook her head. “Nothing. That’s just… a really good idea.”</p><p>His brows rose. “You’re going to adopt a kid?”</p><p>“Well, not right now.” She laughed. “But… yeah. I think I like that idea.” She bit her lip, still smiling, the thought settling something that had been loose and rattling for years back into place in her heart.</p><p>“Huh.”</p><p>Rey couldn’t quite read Ben’s expression. Thoughtful, perhaps. “I’m an orphan,” she explained quickly. “I grew up in foster care. It <em> sucked</em>.” That little smile pulled at her lips again. “So, yeah. I like that idea.”</p><p>His eyes crinkled. “You’re a really good person, aren’t you?”</p><p>Rey flushed, feeling pleased and embarrassed. “I'm not that good. I mean, there are people I hate.”</p><p>Ben looked amused by this declaration, settling his chin on his hand. “Like who?”</p><p>“Hux.”</p><p>Ben waved that away. “Hating Hux is like hating Hitler. You get good person brownie points for it.”</p><p>“And the temps.”</p><p>“Temps in general, or someone specific?”</p><p>Rey ducked her head, remembering that he'd never said how much he'd heard. “Carise and Bazine.”</p><p>“Ah.” His gaze was steady and serious. “Makes sense, considering they're trying to get you fired.”</p><p>Rey's head snapped up. “What?!”</p><p>Ben nodded. “They've been filing complaints with Phasma and sending stories about how toxic you are directly to Leia.”</p><p>“<em>What?!</em>” Rey felt like she might hyperventilate. “I don't even interact with them!”</p><p>“They apparently hold grudges against people who tell them to shut up.” His face was serious, but his eyes were mischievous.</p><p>Rey gaped, then dropped her face into her hands and groaned. “Oh my God. You heard all of that.”</p><p>“Most of it,” he agreed, the smile in his eyes making it onto his mouth.</p><p>“I'm so sorry. They were being so <em> mean</em>, and I wanted them to stop…”</p><p>Ben laughed. “Here I tell you they're trying to torpedo your career, and you're worried they hurt my feelings.” He reached across and placed his warm hand over one of hers. They didn't usually touch, so the move was unexpected. “My ego is not that fragile. If it were, I never would have survived high school.” He let her hand go and sat back. “I know what I look like. I have a big nose, big ears, a weird face, and way too many moles.”</p><p>Rey opened her mouth and started to argue, thinking he was selling himself short, but Ben just laughed.</p><p>“Rey, I promise I don't need the ‘but you're such a good-looking boy’ speech. I get that from my mom plenty.” He grinned, and it transformed his face, made him <em> more </em> than good-looking. “I’m fine with the way I look. And I promise, I don't care that a couple of bitchy temps don't find me attractive.” He leaned forward. “Can you imagine how annoying they'd be if they <em> did</em>?” He gave a mock shudder.</p><p>Rey wasn't entirely sure why, but the subject matter and Ben's smile threw her off balance. She was quiet as they split the check and walked back toward the office and their cars.</p><p>Ben saw Rey to hers and stopped her before she got inside. He stood close, and for a moment Rey's heart thumped and her face flamed because she thought he might kiss her.</p><p>And if he did, she didn't plan to push him away.</p><p>But he only tucked his hands into his pockets and said, “Holdo and I have talked to Leia. She trusts us a lot more than she trusts some random drama queens only here for a couple months.” He smiled, and her heart made another awkward thump. “Those bitches don't know what they stepped into, but they'll find out if they keep pushing.” He took a step back, watching her with fathomless eyes. “Don't worry, Rey. You're not alone.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As far as I can tell from interviews, Adam Driver got over any sensitivity toward his more awkward features in the marines. He always looks completely unfazed when someone comments on his ears or nose, like he's perfectly comfortable with how he looks. He seems more surprised about being a sex symbol, like he's thinking, "LOL, that's so weird." I like the idea that he's neither a delicate flower nor an arrogant jerk. He knows how he looks and is fine with what he sees. It's a very practical, realistic, and healthy mindset. I purposely borrowed that mindset for this version of Ben.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The following Tuesday, Rey had a new set of quality checks to assign and tweak and oversee, her first real challenge in her new position, so she stayed too busy to really talk to anyone.</p><p>She was a little surprised to find that, when she went to the break room for a quick late lunch, Carise and Bazine arrived promptly enough that it made her suspicious.</p><p>“We were so <em> sorry </em>to hear the news,” Carise said, fetching a mineral water from the fridge and sending a good approximation of a sympathetic look over her shoulder at Rey.</p><p>Bazine watched Rey with a sly smile and a hip cocked out, the pose giving her body a sinuous curve. <em> She </em>was clearly not sorry at all.</p><p>Knowing she was taking their bait, Rey sighed and asked, “What news?”</p><p>Mock concern crossed Carise's face as the two women sat at Rey's table. “Why, that your boyfriend has a girlfriend.”</p><p>Rey froze, dismay flooding her. She was no good at concealing her emotions, and the other two women devoured her reaction, their eyes locked on her like wild dogs on a trembling rabbit.</p><p>Rey looked at the table, picked up her sandwich, and took a bite. It tasted like ash in her mouth. “Like I said. He’s not my boyfriend.” She was embarrassed when her voice shook a little.</p><p>“It’s a shame,” Bazine sighed, giving Rey a once-over. “What with your… <em> style</em>… and his looks, you would have made a perfect match.” Carise laughed, and Bazine smirked at her friend before turning back to Rey. “I mean… it’s like you found the ugliest sweater you could and then asked someone to puke all over it.”</p><p>Rey looked down at herself. She was wearing a chunky sweater over a t-shirt and jeans, and okay, sure, the sweater wasn’t their style, but that’s because it was retro. It had a zigzag pattern with brown, beige, and burnt orange stripes. She’d thought it was cute when she’d found it at the thrift shop, and it was comfortable and kept the office chill from getting to her.</p><p>“If you want any fashion advice,” Carise said, standing gracefully and looking down at Rey, “<em>maybe </em>we could give you a few tips.”</p><p>Bazine stood, too, wiggling her perfect dark nails at Rey. “Bye.”</p><p>Rey didn’t taste the rest of her lunch, blindsided by the news and the intensity of her reaction to it. Her heart was beating too fast, and Rose noticed something off that evening as they were eating dinner.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>Rey poked listlessly at the pasta she’d made. “I think I like Ben.”</p><p>Rose gave her a sympathetic look and set her fork down. Her voice was gentle, like she was trying to soften the blow. “Poe overheard him on the phone. It sounded serious.”</p><p>Rey nodded that she understood and tried to fight back tears.</p><p>“Okay,” Rose said, standing up and pulling Rey out of her chair. “This calls for the big guns.”</p><p>Two hours later, surrounded by empty takeout containers, a vacant pint of ice cream drooling its last few drops onto the coffee table, and the credits rolling on Fried Green Tomatoes, Rose clicked the TV off and rubbed her eyes.</p><p>"Think you can sleep?"</p><p>Rey nodded, feeling bleary and vaguely numbed to her heartache, if only because she was too tired to obsess over it.</p><p>Sleep would help.</p><p>Lovely lovely sleep.</p>
<hr/><p>“You should seduce him,” said Poe at the Saturday lunch Rose had arranged to help cheer up Rey. “Vamp it up. I <em> know </em>you’ve got more going on under there than you let on.”</p><p>“He has a girlfriend,” Rey moaned.</p><p>Poe rolled his eyes. “Girlfriend isn’t wife.”</p><p>Rey shook her head, but Rose was nodding over her iced tea, and even Finn shrugged noncommittally when Rey glanced his way.</p><p>“You should do it," said Rose, looking thoughtful. "Dress up for work. You’re gorgeous, but your clothes hide you. If you give him a taste of what he’s missing, Solo won’t know what hit him.”</p><p>Rey frowned into her fries and bit her lip. “I don’t think I could seduce anyone.”</p><p>"Guys are easy to seduce," Poe assured her, but Rose rolled her eyes at him.</p><p>“I’m not saying <em> that</em>, just… give him a hint of your hotness.”</p><p>Which was how Rey found herself at a department store with her friends that same afternoon, staring at herself in the dressing room mirror next to a pile of clothes she would never have picked for herself.</p><p>The outfit she had on now would probably make Poe wolf-whistle, and it would likely even catch Ben’s eye — a snug navy button-up shirt that didn’t cover her collarbones, tucked into a tight cream pencil skirt that showed off her ass and waist.</p><p>Rey opened the door and stepped miserably out.</p><p>Poe <em> did </em>wolf-whistle, and Finn’s brows went high.</p><p>“<em>That </em>is the one,” Rose said. “He’ll definitely notice you in that.”</p><p>Rey fidgeted and glanced at herself in the mirror nearby. “I don’t know…”</p><p>“Trust us,” said Poe, standing and taking her by the shoulders to move her closer to the mirrors. She could see more of the way the outfit hugged her curves, and she bit her lip. “This is the look. Just take your hair down, shake it out a bit.” He fiddled with her bun and then ruffled her hair when it fell around her shoulders. They all looked at her in the mirror, then, gathering around. “Sexy,” Poe proclaimed.</p><p>Except for the frown on her face, spoiling it. It hit her, then, why she felt so uncomfortable. “I look like Carise and Bazine.”</p><p>“So?” said Finn.</p><p>“They have good fashion sense,” said Poe.</p><p>Rey shook her head, suddenly feeling like she might cry. “I don’t want to look like them. I don’t want them to think I’m copying them or trying to be like them.”</p><p>“It’s your body,” Poe insisted, still holding her shoulders and making her face the hot but unhappy woman in the mirror. “You can dress it however you want.”</p><p>Rey pulled gently away and returned to the dressing room without a word, slowly removing the clothes and putting them back on their hangars. She sat in her underwear by the mound of clothing she still had to try on, but something poked her, and she reached back to shift it, thinking it was a coat hanger.</p><p>It was a beaten-up store catalog. Curious, she picked it up and looked at the cover, charmed by the image of a young woman around her own age straddling a bicycle in a very cute outfit.</p><p>Opening it, she flipped through to a section proclaiming <em> Retro Chic! </em> in bold type.</p><p>She threw her regular clothes back on and carried the armloads of pencil skirts and professional blouses out, handing them to a befuddled Poe.</p><p>"This," Rey said, holding the magazine up for Rose and Finn. Poe shifted the pile in his arms to peek.</p><p>"That," Rose said slowly, tapping a finger against her own chin and nodding, "could work."</p><p>Poe peered closer. "I like the short skirt."</p><p>Finn just smiled. "It's very <em> you</em>."</p><p>Rey beamed. "I thought so, too."</p><p>"Let's go find it," Rose said, heading back into the store proper.</p><p>Poe followed somewhat helplessly, hefting the clothes in his arms. "What am I supposed to do with all this?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wanted to hook Rey up with movie makeover levels of transformation, but ultimately my own feelings about clothes took over. This version of Rey, who wears jeans and sneakers and thick retro sweaters to work wouldn't be comfortable in tight, sexy things, and she'd be super uncomfortable with others trying to push that style on her. But cute and better fitted? Hell yes. Here's a mockup of the magazine she found:</p><p>
  
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rey had a quality assurance crisis to deal with first thing Monday morning, so she couldn’t swing by Ben’s office and see his reaction to New Rey.</p><p>She had to wait for the Monday managers’ meeting to see him, and she showed up late because the QA thing hadn’t been resolved yet, and she was too frazzled to look at him when she entered, especially now she knew that she desperately cared what he thought about her.</p><p>“Rey,” Leia said once Hux finished giving his report. “Have you found the reason for the error Terex Pharmaceuticals keeps getting on our machine?”</p><p>Rey shook her head. “We’re working on it, but so far we haven’t been able to duplicate it on any of our equipment.” She sent an apologetic look Rose’s way. “We might need to fly a technician out to look at it.”</p><p>Rose grimaced but nodded. “Lemme see if I can’t troubleshoot over the phone first.”</p><p>Leia nodded. “Do what you need to. If we have to send someone, the company will cover travel costs. Terex is losing money by the hour with that thing down.”</p><p>Poe rolled his eyes. “They deserve it, after they jacked up prices on epipens.”</p><p>Hux gave him a disgusted look. “There is nothing wrong with capitalism, Dameron. If people are willing to pay hundreds for their product—”</p><p>“No,” Poe argued back, raising a finger, “people <em> have </em> to pay hundreds for their product because their product keeps them from <em> dying</em>.”</p><p>“Then their product is clearly <em> worth it</em>.”</p><p>“<em>Staying alive </em> shouldn’t be defined by somebody else’s <em> profit margin</em>.”</p><p>“Here we go.”</p><p>“Not everybody can afford epipens in this economic climate—”</p><p>“The free market—”</p><p>“Is a joke!”</p><p>“Insurance—”</p><p>“Is tied to people’s <em> jobs,</em> so if you can’t get work, I guess your kid with that peanut allergy is shit out of luck—”</p><p>Hux opened his mouth, sneering.</p><p>“ENOUGH!” yelled Leia, looking between the two men. “Our job isn’t to judge our clients.” She glared when Poe started to say something, and he shut up. “It’s to provide quality machines to help businesses manufacture their product. Billion-dollar machines, gentlemen. And if one of our machines stops working, we fix it.” She turned to Rey. “You and Rose get on a conference call with Terex after this meeting and see if we can troubleshoot. Let him know we won’t rest until it’s up and running.” She tapped the table. “This is our priority right now.”</p><p>The meeting wrapped up quickly after that, Leia calling Ben over so that Rey couldn’t even say hi. Instead, she walked out with Rose so they could prep for the Terex call.</p>
<hr/><p>Technically, Rose had two teams, one for programming and one for engineering. The manufacturing division put the machines together <em> after </em>her teams designed them, working closely with Rose and the design teams during the build process.</p><p>It was Rey’s division that put each machine, each program, and each component under rigorous testing to make sure it operated exactly as the client had specified. And since each machine was unique to the client, she had to come up with new tests for every machine, tailored to its unique purpose.</p><p>She hadn’t had to do much of that part of the job yet and honestly dreaded it. She’d mostly been working with the tests Holdo had left on their current project, something that mixed hundreds of pounds of cookie batter for the kind of junk food Rey liked to throw in her cart at the store.</p><p>But she had to know both programming <em> and </em>engineering to do her job, and that was probably one of the reasons she’d edged out Resdox. She knew most of the current programming languages, especially the ones Rose used, and Dox was still most proficient in COBOL.</p><p>She and Rose wound up staying late, still trying to troubleshoot over the phone, and Rey drove her friend to the airport the next day when the situation still hadn’t been resolved.</p><p>When she got into work afterward, she had another minor crisis to handle and didn’t really see Ben until the end of the day when she was gathering her things.</p><p>“Rough week so far, huh?” he said, gaze flitting curiously to her curled hair and then back to meet her eyes.</p><p>“Like you wouldn’t believe,” she agreed, shouldering her bag.</p><p>“Shipping is slow right now, if you need any help.”</p><p>“Really? Thank you!”</p><p>He shrugged. “You’ve helped us when things have been crazy.”</p><p>Rey bumped her shoulder against him. “I’ll definitely let you know if there’s anything you can help with.”</p><p>He nodded, the corners of his mouth deepening. “Good.”</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Aww,” said Carise the next day, when Rey was grabbing a quick cup of tea in the break room. “That’s so cute. She’s <em> trying</em>.”</p><p>Rey did not bother glaring at them, though her jaw clenched with irritation.</p><p>“It’s sad, if you ask me,” Bazine said, and Rey’s tension radiated into her neck and shoulders. “She’s not even doing it right.”</p><p>“Now, now,” Carise replied. “We need to encourage women who make an effort, even if they’re bad at it.”</p><p>Bazine snorted. “No, we don’t.”</p><p>Rey finished making her tea and turned smoothly so as not to spill it. “Fuck both of you,” she snarled, then marched out to Carise’s delighted laughter and Bazine’s insulting retorts.</p><p>Damnit. She’d probably just given them more ammo for their complaints to Leia.</p><p>No matter what Ben had said about Holdo and himself intervening with Leia, she didn’t think their opinions weighed enough to counteract the malicious efforts of the temps. Bazine was <em> in </em> HR. She had Phasma’s ear, and it was really HR who had the most influence in these situations. If Phasma took up Bazine’s case, Leia would <em> have </em>to take it seriously.</p><p>Rey tried not to worry about it, but it was difficult, and she found it harder to concentrate on what she needed to do for the day.</p>
<hr/><p>Ben knocked on her office door and smiled when she lifted her head from one of the more brain-draining parts of her job. A glance at the clock told her it was already after five. “You’re going to make the rest of us look bad if you keep staying late.” He nodded toward the door, hands in his pockets, stance easy and relaxed. “Come on, I’ll buy you a drink before you head home.”</p><p>Rey bit her lip and looked at the half-finished test instructions on her computer.</p><p>“Time-limited offer,” he added, tapping where a watch would be if he wore one.</p><p>Rey sighed. She didn’t think she could squeeze one more iota of intelligence out of herself, so she saved her work, shut her computer off, and grabbed her purse. “Let’s go.”</p><p>They went to the bar she frequented on Friday nights with her friends, and Ben paid at the bar as Rey found a quiet corner booth where she could stretch out her legs and let the low lights soothe the headache that had been building all afternoon.</p><p>When Ben came over with their drinks, he slid across from her and offered a wry smile. “Rough day?”</p><p>“Those stupid temps,” she grumbled, pulling her drink closer and taking a sip.</p><p>Ben’s smile twisted into a grimace. “What’d they do this time?”</p><p>Rey sighed and smoothed her skirt, glancing down at the soft beige sweater and the crisp white Peter Pan collar peeking out above it. “They didn’t like my new look.”</p><p>“They’re stupid,” Ben offered calmly, bringing his glass to his lips. He’d ordered something tall and pale brown, but Rey wasn’t sure what it was.</p><p>“Right?” she agreed, slipping out of the booth to gesture to her clothes. Below her sweater, she’d worn a pleated grey skirt that fell to mid-thigh, nude stockings, and black flats. She’d done her makeup. She’d curled her hair. She’d worn <em> earrings</em>, for God’s sake. She never wore earrings. “I look <em> adorable</em>.”</p><p>Ben, who'd glanced at her outfit when she'd motioned to it, returned his warm brown gaze to her face with a soft smile and tipped his drink toward her. “Damn right.”</p><p>Rey grabbed her drink and clinked it against his, taking a sip before flopping ungracefully back into her seat. “It’s not like I’m doing any of this for <em> them</em>, but it still sucks when they make fun of me.”</p><p>Ben frowned. “How do they make fun of you?”</p><p>“They treat me like a charity case or something,” she grumbled. “Or a child playing dress-up. Like I’m funny for even <em> trying </em>to dress nicer.”</p><p>“That’s rude.” He was quiet for a few long seconds, pensive, before he gave her a probing look and asked, “You’re not doing this because of Hux, are you?”</p><p>Rey blinked at him, taken aback. “What?!”</p><p>“Because of what he said about your clothes. You know you looked fine before, right? He’s just an ass.”</p><p>“Oh.” Rey blushed because she’d thought he’d been implying that she had a <em> crush </em>on Hux, but he was just worried that she’d let the bastard get in her head. “No. I… I just wanted to do something different.”</p><p>Ben nodded and fiddled with his drink. “Cool.”</p><p>Rey nodded back at him. “Yeah.”</p><p>She thought about it on the walk back to their cars, about how Ben had been the catalyst for her new wardrobe but how, while shopping, it had started to feel like something for herself. Something she wanted and liked.</p><p>“I like these clothes,” she admitted as they approached her car. They stopped beside it, and he offered her that smile that made his eyes go all soft. “I feel cute in them. Maybe even… pretty.” She glanced quickly at his face to see if he had any reaction to that, but, aside from being attentive to her words, she couldn't tell if he agreed. “But I also feel comfortable. They make me happy, and… I like wearing them.”</p><p>Ben nodded thoughtfully, not looking away even as the eye contact began to feel a little too intimate. “My grandmother was a fashionista. She said you should always wear your clothes, your clothes should never wear you.”</p><p>Rey pursed her lips and turned the phrase over. “What does that even mean?”</p><p>Ben shrugged wryly. “Hell if I know.”</p><p>Rey laughed, and Ben laughed with her, and they stood there smiling at each other for a moment before Ben stepped away and bade her goodnight.</p>
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